Khaled Sharrouf was a U.S.-, U.N.-, and Australian-designated terrorist who fled his native Australia in December 2013 to join ISIS in Iraq and Syria. There, he carried out executions on behalf of the terror group.“Treasury Designates Australian and Southeast Asian ISIL Operatives and Leaders,” U.S. Department of the Treasury, January 10, 2017, https://www.treasury.gov/press-center/press-releases/Pages/jl0698.aspx;
Charter of the United Nations Act 1945 Listing 2015 (No. 2),” United Nations via Commonwealth of Australia, November 13, 2014,  https://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:th9SnCXPdkkJ:https://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/C2014G01861/7b2738b8-086e-47b5-af7f-c32e18bc556b+&cd=2&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us;
“Australia and sanctions [Consolidated List],” Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, accessed January 12, 2017, http://dfat.gov.au/international-relations/security/sanctions/Pages/consolidated-list.aspx. Sharrouf rose to global prominence in 2014 when he disseminated a photo—via Twitter—of his seven-year-old son holding the severed heads of executed ISIS victims.Rachel Olding, “Convicted terrorist Khaled Sharrouf was allowed to visit prisoners,” Sydney Morning Herald, August 3, 2016, http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/convicted-terrorist-khaled-sharrouf-was-allowed-to-visit-prisoners-20160803-gqk367.html;
Geoff Chambers, “Tribute to Aussie IS thug Khaled Sharrouf by compatriot Neil Prakash indicates he was killed in an air strike,” The Daily Telegraph (Sydney), August 2, 2015, http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/nsw/tribute-to-aussie-is-thug-khaled-sharrouf-by-compatriot-jihadist-neil-prakash-indicates-he-was-killed-in-an-air-strike/news-story/23109ed2ddaa84258243f6018e913b96 Then-U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said of the photo, “This image, perhaps an iconic photograph… is really one of the most disturbing, stomach-turning, grotesque photographs ever displayed.”Paul Maley, “Federal Police told ISIS has put Khaled Sharrouf in jail,” The Australian (Sydney), May 13, 2016, http://www.theaustralian.com.au/in-depth/terror/federal-police-told-isis-has-put-khaled-sharrouf-in-jail/news-story/5df5e1fb4b1afe46c1fbd05d922f1613. Sharrouf also released photos of himself participating in the execution of Iraqi captives.Paul Maley, “Federal Police told ISIS has put Khaled Sharrouf in jail,” The Australian (Sydney), May 13, 2016, http://www.theaustralian.com.au/in-depth/terror/federal-police-told-isis-has-put-khaled-sharrouf-in-jail/news-story/5df5e1fb4b1afe46c1fbd05d922f1613. He was reportedly killed by a coalition airstrike in August 2017.Dylan Welch and Suzanne Dredge, “Khaled Sharrouf, Australian Terrorist, Believed to Have Been Killed in Air Strike in Syria,” Australian Broadcasting Corporation, August 16, 2017, https://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-08-16/khaled-sharrouf-believed-to-have-been-killed/8812600.

Sharrouf, who was married to an Australian woman and had five children, was known to Australian authorities long before joining ISIS.John Kehoe, “‘Dead’ Australian ISIL terrorists sanctioned by US Treasury,” Australian Financial Review, January 11, 2017, http://www.afr.com/news/dead-australian-isil-terrorists-sanctioned-by-us-treasury-20170110-gtp61z. As a teenager, Sharrouf turned to drugs and petty crime after being expelled from high school for bad behavior. According to Australian Supreme Court Justice Anthony Whealy, Sharrouf radicalized during this time by mixing in extremist Muslim social circles.Sean Rubinsztein-Dunlop, “Khaled Sharrouf: The Australian radical fighting for Islamic State in Iraq and Syria,” Australian Broadcasting Corporation, February 10, 2016, http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-08-14/khaled-sharrouf:-the-australian-radical-fighting-in-iraq/5671974. In 2005, Sharrouf was arrested alongside eight others for his role in one of Australia’s biggest terror plots, when Australian counterterrorism units uncovered an enormous cache of guns, ammunition, and bomb-making material in Sydney and Melbourne.Rachel Olding, “Terrifying legacy emerged from success of Operation Pendennis,” Sydney Morning Herald, August 24, 2014, http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/terrifying-legacy-emerges-from-success-of-operation-pendennis-20140821-106ow0.html. Sharrouf was imprisoned for possession of materials intended to be used for terrorism, and was released on parole in 2009.“Treasury Designates Australian and Southeast Asian ISIL Operatives and Leaders,” U.S. Department of the Treasury, January 10, 2017, https://www.treasury.gov/press-center/press-releases/Pages/jl0698.aspx;
Rachel Olding, “Terrifying legacy emerged from success of Operation Pendennis,” Sydney Morning Herald, August 24, 2014, http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/terrifying-legacy-emerges-from-success-of-operation-pendennis-20140821-106ow0.html. Despite being subject to a travel ban, he managed to travel to ISIS-controlled territory in December 2013 by using his brother’s passport.“Australian terrorist’s children could be taken into care,” BBC News, May 27 2015, http://www.bbc.com/news/world-australia-32894860.

Sharrouf was falsely reported killed in a July 2015 U.S. airstrike in Syria. He was eulogized by his Australian compatriot Neil Prakash, an ISIS recruiter and propagandist notorious for recruiting Australians via Twitter to join ISIS.Martin Chulov and Paul Farrell, “Revealed: the new face of Neil Prakash, Australia’s most wanted Isis member,” Guardian (London), December 2, 2016, https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/dec/03/neil-prakash-new-images-isis-member-arrest-turkey-australia. The U.S. Department of the Treasury designated Sharrouf in January 2017 alongside Prakash, as well as Indonesian ISIS supporters Bachrumsyah Mennor Usman and Aman Abdurrahman a.k.a. Omar Rochman.“Treasury Designates Australian and Southeast Asian ISIL Operatives and Leaders,” U.S. Department of the Treasury, January 10, 2017, https://www.treasury.gov/press-center/press-releases/Pages/jl0698.aspx.

On August 11, 2017, Sharrouf was reportedly killed by a coalition airstrike in Syria. According to the Australian government, Sharrouf and his two sons, 12-year-old Abdullah and 11-year-old Zarqawi, were killed by the airstrike while they were driving in the area of Raqqa, Syria. An anonymous law enforcement official stated that photos of Sharrouf’s corpse had been shared on extremist social media channels, but the Australian border protection minister stated that the government was unable to confirm Sharrouf’s killing.Dylan Welch and Suzanne Dredge, “Khaled Sharrouf, Australian Terrorist, Believed to Have Been Killed in Air Strike in Syria,” Australian Broadcasting Corporation, August 16, 2017, https://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-08-16/khaled-sharrouf-believed-to-have-been-killed/8812600.

Bilal Zaheer Ahmad is a British-Pakistani dual citizen and a convicted Islamist incarcerated in the United Kingdom. He is a former member of the now-defunct U.K.-based extremist group al-Muhajiroun, which was led by convicted ISIS supporter Anjem Choudary. Prior to his November 2010 arrest, Ahmad called for terrorist attacks on social media and was an active contributor to pro-jihad websites.Caroline Davies, “Radical Muslim jailed for calling for jihad against MPs,” Guardian (London), July 29, 2011, https://www.theguardian.com/world/2011/jul/29/radical-muslim-bilal-ahmad-jailed;
Raffaello Pantucci, “Anjem Choudary was a leader. His conviction will damage terror networks,” Guardian (London), August 17, 2016, https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2016/aug/17/anjem-choudary-conviction-terror-networks. Days before his arrest, Ahmad reportedly expressed his support on Facebook for Roshonara Choudhry, who stabbed Labor MP Stephen Timms in May 2010. Ahmad was sentenced to 12 years in prison in July 2011 for soliciting the murder of British MPs, among other terrorism-related charges.Caroline Davies, “Radical Muslim jailed for calling for jihad against MPs,” Guardian (London), July 29, 2011, https://www.theguardian.com/world/2011/jul/29/radical-muslim-bilal-ahmad-jailed.

As a teenager, Ahmad began associating with members of al-Muhajiroun because he felt excluded from society, according to his defense attorney.Caroline Davies, “Radical Muslim jailed for calling for jihad against MPs,” Guardian (London), July 29, 2011, https://www.theguardian.com/world/2011/jul/29/radical-muslim-bilal-ahmad-jailed;
Raffaello Pantucci, “Anjem Choudary was a leader. His conviction will damage terror networks,” Guardian (London), August 17, 2016, https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2016/aug/17/anjem-choudary-conviction-terror-networks. Ahmad reportedly graduated from the University of Central England with a degree in business information technology. He is then believed to have worked as a development analyst at a county hospital in Dorchester. Ahmad was largely self-radicalized online and, until his arrest, regularly contributed content to extremist websites including al-Muhajiroun’s web-based platform Islam4UK, the radical forum IslamicAwakening, and Revolutionmuslim.com.Caroline Davies, “Radical Muslim jailed for calling for jihad against MPs,” Guardian (London), July 29, 2011, https://www.theguardian.com/world/2011/jul/29/radical-muslim-bilal-ahmad-jailed;
“What is Islam4UK?,” Telegraph (London), January 4, 2010, http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/defence/6931212/What-is-Islam4UK.html. Revolution Muslim—a now-defunct U.S.-based Islamist group and website—was led by convicted Islamist extremist Jesse Morton.“Leader of Revolution Muslim Pleads Guilty to Using Internet to Solicit Murder and Encourage Violent Extremism,” FBI, February 9, 2012, https://archives.fbi.gov/archives/washingtondc/press-releases/2012/leader-of-revolution-muslim-pleads-guilty-to-using-internet-to-solicit-murder-and-encourage-violent-extremism. Morton was later arrested by the FBI and pled guilty in U.S. courts on February 9, 2012, for conspiring to solicit murder, making threatening communications, and using the Internet to place others in fear.“Leader of Revolution Muslims Pleads Guilty to Using Internet to Solicit Murder and Encourage Violent Extremism,” FBI, February 9, 2012, https://archives.fbi.gov/archives/washingtondc/press-releases/2012/leader-of-revolution-muslim-pleads-guilty-to-using-internet-to-solicit-murder-and-encourage-violent-extremism.

In November 2010, Ahmad posted to Revolutionmuslim.com a list of 383 British MPs who voted for the Iraq war. Ahmad reportedly called on Muslims to “raise the knife of Jihad” and kill them. According to the FBI, Jesse Morton provided Ahmad with a password to the website and permitted him to post content.Caroline Davies, “Radical Muslim jailed for calling for jihad against MPs,” Guardian (London), July 29, 2011, https://www.theguardian.com/world/2011/jul/29/radical-muslim-bilal-ahmad-jailed;
“Leader of Revolution Muslims Pleads Guilty to Using Internet to Solicit Murder and Encourage Violent Extremism,” FBI, February 9, 2012, https://archives.fbi.gov/archives/washingtondc/press-releases/2012/leader-of-revolution-muslim-pleads-guilty-to-using-internet-to-solicit-murder-and-encourage-violent-extremism. In another post on Morton’s website, Ahmad reportedly referenced a May 2010 knife attack against Labor MP Stephen Timms by Roshonara Choudhry. In the post, he encouraged attackers to target MPs while they were having constituency surgery—or one-on-one meetings—as Choudhry had done with Timms. Ahmad further provided a link to an online knife vendor.Caroline Davies, “Radical Muslim jailed for calling for jihad against MPs,” Guardian (London), July 29, 2011, https://www.theguardian.com/world/2011/jul/29/radical-muslim-bilal-ahmad-jailed.

Ahmad was arrested in Dunstall, Wolverhampton, on November 10, 2010, and was charged with soliciting murder, publishing written material with intent to stir up religious hatred, and three counts of collecting information of a kind likely to be useful to a person committing or preparing an act of terrorism.Caroline Davies, “Radical Muslim jailed for calling for jihad against MPs,” Guardian (London), July 29, 2011, https://www.theguardian.com/world/2011/jul/29/radical-muslim-bilal-ahmad-jailed;
“Blogger who encouraged murder of MPs jailed,” BBC News, July 29, 2011, http://www.bbc.com/news/world-14344199. Following Ahmad’s arrest, investigators discovered a video of Ahmad on Facebook in which he said, “My message to the West. You are all going to die.” His computer purportedly contained various extremist materials including an electronic copy of “39 Ways to Serve and Participate in Jihad,” “Zaad-e-Mujahid: Essential Provisions of a Mujahadid” and an issue of Inspire, al-Qaeda’s online English-language magazine.Caroline Davies, “Radical Muslim jailed for calling for jihad against MPs,” Guardian (London), July 29, 2011, https://www.theguardian.com/world/2011/jul/29/radical-muslim-bilal-ahmad-jailed;
“Blogger who encouraged murder of MPs jailed,” BBC News, July 29, 2011, http://www.bbc.com/news/world-14344199. Authorities sentenced Ahmad to 12 years in prison on July 29, 2011.Caroline Davies, “Radical Muslim jailed for calling for jihad against MPs,” Guardian (London), July 29, 2011, https://www.theguardian.com/world/2011/jul/29/radical-muslim-bilal-ahmad-jailed.

Aqsa Mahmood is a Scottish propagandist and recruiter for ISIS. In 2013, then-19-year-old Mahmood reportedly left her Glasgow home and moved to ISIS-held territory in Syria. Mahmood has propagandized for ISIS on various social media platforms, including Twitter and Tumblr.Atika Shubert and Bharati Naik, “CNN exclusive: From Glasgow girl to ‘bedroom radical’ and ISIS bride,” CNN, September 5, 2014, http://www.cnn.com/2014/09/05/world/europe/isis-bride-glasgow-scotland/;
Aqsa Mahmood, Tumblr page, accessed September 10, 2015, http://fa-tubalilghuraba.tumblr.com/. British authorities suspect that Mahmood used social media to help radicalize British teenagers Shamima Begum, Khadiza Sultana, and Amira Abase, who left their homes for ISIS-held territory in February 2015.Atika Shubert and Bharati Naik, “CNN exclusive: From Glasgow girl to ‘bedroom radical’ and ISIS bride,” CNN, September 5, 2014, http://www.cnn.com/2014/09/05/world/europe/isis-bride-glasgow-scotland/. Mahmood is also suspected of holding a senior role in the all-female al-Khansaa Brigade in Raqqa, Syria, which is reportedly responsible for enforcing female moral behavior.Gavin Madley, “Heartbroken and hopeless: Parents of Scottish jihadi bride Aqsa Mahmood tell of their devastation at losing her to ISIS brainwashing,” Daily Mail (London), February 21, 2016, http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3457741/Heartbroken-hopeless-Parents-Scottish-jihadi-bride-Aqsa-Mahmood-tell-devastation-losing-ISIS-brainwashing.html. Mahmood was reportedly killed during the fall of the ISIS’s so-called caliphate in February 2019.Brendan Mcginty, Dan Warburton, and Patrick Hill, “Family of Brit ISIS poster girl say ‘jihadi brides better in prison than dead,’” Mirror (London), February 16, 2019, accessed June 13, 2019, https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/family-brit-isis-poster-girl-14009711.

Mahmood was raised in an affluent neighborhood in Glasgow and attended a private school.Atika Shubert and Bharati Naik, “CNN exclusive: From Glasgow girl to ‘bedroom radical’ and ISIS bride,” CNN, September 5, 2014, http://www.cnn.com/2014/09/05/world/europe/isis-bride-glasgow-scotland/. According to her family, she read the Harry Potter series and listened to the British band Coldplay.Atika Shubert and Bharati Naik, “CNN exclusive: From Glasgow girl to ‘bedroom radical’ and ISIS bride,” CNN, September 5, 2014, http://www.cnn.com/2014/09/05/world/europe/isis-bride-glasgow-scotland/. At the start of the Syrian civil war in 2011, however, Mahmood grew more religious and stopped listening to music, according to her parents. Mahmood dropped out of Glasgow Caledonian University,“PM's Extremism Taskforce: tackling extremism in universities and colleges top of the agenda,” U.K. Home Office, September 17, 2015, https://www.gov.uk/government/news/pms-extremism-taskforce-tackling-extremism-in-universities-and-colleges-top-of-the-agenda. and left home in November 2013. A few days after her departure, Mahmood called her family from Turkey and told them she was about to cross into Syria. The family’s lawyer, Aamer Anwar, referred to Mahmood as a “bedroom radical” who had “the best education money could buy,” but was radicalized online.Atika Shubert and Bharati Naik, “CNN exclusive: From Glasgow girl to ‘bedroom radical’ and ISIS bride,” CNN, September 5, 2014, http://www.cnn.com/2014/09/05/world/europe/isis-bride-glasgow-scotland/. During a September 5, 2015, interview with CNN, Mahmood’s parents pleaded for their daughter to return home.Atika Shubert and Bharati Naik, “CNN exclusive: From Glasgow girl to ‘bedroom radical’ and ISIS bride,” CNN, September 5, 2014, http://www.cnn.com/2014/09/05/world/europe/isis-bride-glasgow-scotland/.

Mahmood was radicalized online by British citizen Adeel Ulhaq, according to Mahmood’s parents. Ulhaq was imprisoned in February 2016 for facilitating the travel of a British teenage boy to ISIS-controlled territory.Steven Morris, “Three men found guilty of helping teenage jihadi travel from UK to Syria,” Guardian (London), February 10, 2016, https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2016/feb/10/kristen-brekke-adeel-ulhaq-forhad-rahman-guilty-aseel-muthana-syria-isis. The Mahmoods described their daughter as a “model child” swayed by Ulhaq’s promises of marriage. Aqsa Mahmood and Ulhaq met with their families at an English mosque in 2013 and told them of their plans to marry. It was the first time the two had met in person.Gavin Madley, “Heartbroken and hopeless: Parents of Scottish jihadi bride Aqsa Mahmood tell of their devastation at losing her to ISIS brainwashing,” Daily Mail (London), February 21, 2016, http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3457741/Heartbroken-hopeless-Parents-Scottish-jihadi-bride-Aqsa-Mahmood-tell-devastation-losing-ISIS-brainwashing.html. During his trial, Ulhaq reportedly said he had intended to go marry Mahmood, but that she had left for Syria before they could complete their nuptials.Gavin Madley, “Heartbroken and hopeless: Parents of Scottish jihadi bride Aqsa Mahmood tell of their devastation at losing her to ISIS brainwashing,” Daily Mail (London), February 21, 2016, http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3457741/Heartbroken-hopeless-Parents-Scottish-jihadi-bride-Aqsa-Mahmood-tell-devastation-losing-ISIS-brainwashing.html.

Mahmood has used social media to promote life under ISIS. On Twitter, Mahmood has called for terror attacks against her homeland and for British Muslims to join ISIS.Lizzie Dearden, “The Glasgow teenager who dropped out of university to marry an ISIS fighter in Syria,” Independent (London), September 2, 2014, http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/the-glasgow-teenager-who-dropped-out-of-university-to-marry-an-isis-fighter-in-syria-9706610.html. In January 2013, before she left Scotland, Mahmood started a Tumblr account on which she posted quotes by prominent jihadists such as Anwar al-Awlaki, Australian preacher Musa Cerantonio, and Osama bin Laden.Aqsa Mahmood, Tumblr page, accessed September 10, 2015, http://fa-tubalilghuraba.tumblr.com/. After leaving home, Mahmood used her Tumblr blog to dispense advice on making hijrah (migration) to ISIS-held territory, as well as to share poetry and extremist religious quotes. Mahmood posted a poem to her Tumblr on April 9, 2014, in which she apologized to her mother for leaving. She wrote, “I know you’ve accepted that I’m never coming back.”Aqsa Mahmood, Tumblr post, April 9, 2014, http://fa-tubalilghuraba.tumblr.com/post/82208918735/ya-umee.

In September 2014, Mahmood’s father told journalists that he had stopped reading his daughter’s blog because it hurt him. At one point, Mahmood sent her father a message saying that she prayed every day to become a martyr.Atika Shubert and Bharati Naik, “CNN exclusive: From Glasgow girl to ‘bedroom radical’ and ISIS bride,” CNN, September 5, 2014, http://www.cnn.com/2014/09/05/world/europe/isis-bride-glasgow-scotland/. After Mahmood posted a poem online on June 28, 2015, praising recent attacks in Tunisia, France, and Kuwait, her family issued a media statement dissuading young people from joining ISIS. The statement read: “There is no honour, no glory, no god at work in the cowardly massacre of holidaymakers, people at prayer in a Shia mosque or an innocent man at his place of work.” The family described Mahmood’s words as “twisted and evil,” and said she is no longer the daughter they raised.“Family of Aqsa Mahmood ‘sickened’ by Tunisia blog post,” BBC News, June 29, 2015, http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west-33316076; Aqsa Mahmood, Tumblr post, June 28, 2015, http://fa-tubalilghuraba.tumblr.com/post/122667412344/black-friday. In September 2015, the U.N. Security Council placed Mahmood under sanctions, subjecting her to a global asset freeze and travel ban to prevent further radicalization attempts.“Aqsa Mahmood,” U.N. Security Council, September 28, 2015, https://www.un.org/securitycouncil/sanctions/1267/aq_sanctions_list/summaries/individual/aqsa-mahmood.

The Mirror reported that Mahmood was believed to have been killed in the fall of ISIS’s so-called caliphate in February 2019.Brendan Mcginty, Dan Warburton, and Patrick Hill, “Family of Brit ISIS poster girl say ‘jihadi brides better in prison than dead,’” Mirror (London), February 16, 2019, https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/family-brit-isis-poster-girl-14009711.

Omar Hussain is a U.S.- and U.N.-designated British-born jihadist who reportedly traveled to Syria under the guise of a humanitarian mission to take up arms with ISIS.U.S. Department of Treasury, “Treasury Sanctions Major Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant Leaders, Financial Figures, Facilitators, and Supporters,” September 29, 2015, http://www.treasury.gov/press-center/press-releases/Pages/jl0188.aspx;
“Security Council Al-Qaida Sanctions Committee Adds Names of Four Individuals to Its Sanctions List,” United Nations Security Council, September 28, 2015, http://www.un.org/press/en/2015/sc12059.doc.htm. Since arriving in Syria in January 2014,“Security Council Al-Qaida Sanctions Committee Adds Names of Four Individuals to Its Sanctions List,” United Nations Security Council, September 28, 2015, http://www.un.org/press/en/2015/sc12059.doc.htm. Hussain has repeatedly taken to social media to threaten attacks on the United Kingdom.Duncan Gardham and Abul Taher, “Supermarket Jihadi Omar Hussain was cleared by UK police for travel to Syria where he joined Islamic State despite being a well-known fanatic,” Daily Mail (London), May 23, 2015, http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3094490/Supermarket-Jihadi-Omar-Hussain-cleared-UK-police-travel-Syria-joined-Islamic-State-despite-known-fanatic.html;
U.S. Department of Treasury, “Treasury Sanctions Major Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant Leaders, Financial Figures, Facilitators, and Supporters,” September 29, 2015, http://www.treasury.gov/press-center/press-releases/Pages/jl0188.aspx. He has also promoted what ISIS heralds to be its social welfare via his online posts and videos. Western media has suggested that Hussain, often dubbed the “loneliest jihadi,” has made these appeals in order to find a bride.Jay Akbar, “Brit dubbed the ‘loneliest jihadi’ lures women to join ISIS in Syria,” Daily Mail (London), June 19, 2015, http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3131174/Brit-dubbed-loneliest-jihadi-lures-women-join-ISIS-Syria-promise-free-food-healthcare-bus-tickets-150-cash-handouts-gruesome-reality-different.html.

In early 2016, ISIS leadership gave Hussain a warning after he urged potential jihadist recruits to travel to Libya instead of to Iraq and Syria. ISIS leadership reportedly warned of “serious repercussions” for Hussain after he suggested on the encrypted messaging app Telegram that arriving in Syria was difficult since the Turkish military had enhanced security at the border. Hussain reportedly urged ISIS recruits to “Come to Libya, come to Nigeria, and be part of those who build the Khilafah [Islamic caliphate] with your skulls, bones and blood.”Omar Wahid, “Supermarket Jihadi incurs ISIS wrath after urging would-be fighters to go to Libya instead,” Daily Mail, January 16, 2016, http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3403120/Supermarket-Jihadi-incurs-ISIS-wrath-urging-fighters-Libya-instead.html. In March 2016, it was reported that Hussain was using Facebook to prompt ISIS sympathizers to launch terrorist attacks within the United Kingdom. “In Islam,” Hussain posted to the social media platform, “there is only Dar Al-Islam [Land of Islam] and Dar Al-Kufr [Non-belief] (also referred to as Dar Al-Harb [War]).”Dan Warburton, “British ISIS leader ‘using Facebook to recruit terrorists to target the UK’,” Mirror (London), March 12, 2016, http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/british-isis-leader-using-facebook-7545645.

Before joining ISIS, Hussain served as a security guard in High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire. In December 2013, he entered a police station to declare his intent to travel to Syria as part of an aid convoy. Hussain later boarded a flight from Gatwick airport in London bound for Turkey, from which he crossed into Syria.Duncan Gardham and Abul Taher, “Supermarket Jihadi Omar Hussain was cleared by UK police for travel to Syria where he joined Islamic State despite being a well-known fanatic,” Daily Mail (London), May 23, 2015, http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3094490/Supermarket-Jihadi-Omar-Hussain-cleared-UK-police-travel-Syria-joined-Islamic-State-despite-known-fanatic.html. In September 2015, British media began reporting on Hussain’s Tumblr blog, which he created in April 2015 in order to disseminate ISIS propaganda.Abu Sa’eed Al-Britani, Tumblr account, accessed September 17, 2015, http://abusaeedawlaki.tumblr.com/ask. Hussain has used Tumblr to promote hijrah (migration) to the so-called Islamic State.Abu Sa’eed Al-Britani, Tumblr post, September 17, 2015.

Hussain has used his Tumblr to recruit fellow Muslims to ISIS, and to field questions of those contemplating making the journey to Syria. Under his alias Abu Sa’eed Britani, Hussain has requested supplies and military hardware for the “mujahideen” (holy warriors).Abu Sa’eed Al-Britani, Tumblr post, September 17, 2015.

Hussain has also used Tumblr to announce his desire for martyrdom at the hands of the enemies of God.Abu Sa’eed Al-Britani, Tumblr post, September 17, 2015.

Abu Usamah at-Thahabi is an American-born British cleric. He reportedly preaches hateful messages, including calling for gays to be thrown off mountains, praising Osama bin Laden, and calling women inherently “deficient.”“‘Anti-gay’ cleric talk cancelled,” BBC News, November 25, 2009, http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/london/8377437.stm. He is a convert to Islam“Radical cleric praises bin Laden,” Daily Mail (London), February 4, 2007, http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-433871/Radical-cleric-praises-bin-Laden.html. who studied at Medinah University in Saudi Arabia.“Britain’s new preachers of hate,” Mirror (London), last updated February 4, 2012, http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/britains-new-preachers-of-hate-446268.

At-Thahabi has served as the chief cleric of the Green Lane mosque in Birmingham, England.“‘Anti-gay’ cleric talk cancelled,” BBC News, November 25, 2009, http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/london/8377437.stm. In 2012, accusations surfaced that at-Thahabi had sexually harassed women at the mosque.Sunday Mercury, “Birmingham mosque cleric accused of sexual harassment,” Birmingham Mail, October 24, 2012, http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/local-news/birmingham-mosque-cleric-accused-of-sexual-231250. In 2007, the British documentary “Undercover Mosque” recorded at-Thahabi praising bin Laden and calling for gay men to be thrown off mountains, though at-Thahabi has said his comments were taken out of context.“‘Anti-gay’ cleric talk cancelled,” BBC News, November 25, 2009, http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/london/8377437.stm;
“American-Born Imam Spews Message of Hate in England,” Fox News, January 18, 2007, http://www.foxnews.com/story/2007/01/18/american-born-imam-spews-message-hate-in-england.html. In February 2007, at-Thahabi reportedly said Osama bin Laden was “better than a million George Bushes and a thousand Tony Blairs.” He also reportedly referred to non-Muslims as “pathological liars,”“Radical cleric praises bin Laden,” Daily Mail (London), February 4, 2007, http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-433871/Radical-cleric-praises-bin-Laden.html. and called for the crucifixion of kuffar (non-believers).“American-Born Imam Spews Message of Hate in England,” Fox News, January 18, 2007, http://www.foxnews.com/story/2007/01/18/american-born-imam-spews-message-hate-in-england.html.

According to the documentary, Green Lane mosque’s website features a secret chatroom, known only to members, where videos of at-Thahabi’s more extreme sermons are posted. In this chatroom, at-Thahabi has reportedly called for the creation of an Islamic state and the deaths of those who leave Islam.“American-Born Imam Spews Message of Hate in England,” Fox News, January 18, 2007, http://www.foxnews.com/story/2007/01/18/american-born-imam-spews-message-hate-in-england.html.

At-Thahabi previously worked at the Islamic Center in Peoria, Illinois, where he occasionally made anti-Semitic remarks, according to mosque members. In December 2001, U.S. federal agents raided the mosque and arrested Ali Saleh Kahlah al-Marri, a Qatari student at Bradley University, accused of opening fake bank accounts and repeatedly calling a phone linked to suspected al-Qaeda financier Mustafa al-Hawsawi in Dubai.“American-Born Imam Spews Message of Hate in England,” Fox News, January 18, 2007, http://www.foxnews.com/story/2007/01/18/american-born-imam-spews-message-hate-in-england.html.

At-Thahabi continues to lecture on Islam throughout Great Britain, and his speeches appear on YouTube.“The universality of Islam - Abu Usama Adh Dhahabi,” YouTube, posted by Brunel University Islamic Society, last updated January 9, 2011, https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL09105FEF6EAFCBB1. Some of his scheduled appearances at British universities have been canceled due to protests and threats.“‘Anti-gay’ cleric talk cancelled,” BBC News, November 25, 2009, http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/london/8377437.stm.

Indonesian citizen Tuah Febriwansyah is a U.S.-designated ISIS propagandist, financier, and recruiter currently imprisoned in Indonesia. The United Nations described Febriwansyah as the leader of an ISIS-aligned organization in Indonesia.“Security Council ISIL (Da’esh) and Al-Qaida Sanctions Committee Adds Five Entries to Its Sanctions List,” United Nations, April 20, 2016, http://www.un.org/press/en/2016/sc12332.doc.htm;
Joseph Low, “ISIS in the Pacific: Assessing terrorism in Southeast Asia and the threat to the homeland,” Brookings Institute, April 27, 2016, http://www.brookings.edu/research/testimony/2016/04/27-isis-southeast-asia-liow. He was arrested in March 2015 and charged with terrorism offenses. He is currently serving a five-year sentence.“Indonesians jailed 3-5 years for ISIS support,” Straits Times, February 10, 2016, http://www.straitstimes.com/asia/indonesians-jailed-3-5-years-for-isis-support; “Security Council ISIL (Da’esh) and Al-Qaida Sanctions Committee Adds Five Entries to Its Sanctions List,” United Nations, April 20, 2016, http://www.un.org/press/en/2016/sc12332.doc.htm.

In March 2014, Febriwansyah reportedly declared his support for ISIS during a rally outside of the Hotel Indonesia in Jakarta. Febriwansyah had also operated a personal website on which he circulated ISIS videos and news. The website was shut down after his arrest.“Indonesians jailed 3-5 years for ISIS support,” Straits Times, February 10, 2016, http://www.straitstimes.com/asia/indonesians-jailed-3-5-years-for-isis-support;
“Security Council ISIL (Da’esh) and Al-Qaida Sanctions Committee Adds Five Entries to Its Sanctions List,” United Nations, April 20, 2016, http://www.un.org/press/en/2016/sc12332.doc.htm. While in custody, Febriwansyah confessed to having known one of the culprits in the January 2016 terrorist attacks in Jakarta that killed four civilians.“Indonesians jailed 3-5 years for ISIS support,” Straits Times, February 10, 2016, http://www.straitstimes.com/asia/indonesians-jailed-3-5-years-for-isis-support.

Abul Ala Maududi (1903-1979) was an Islamic theologian, a prolific author, and the founder of the political Islamist group Jamaat-e-Islami (JeI). Maududi’s theories helped form the tenets of Qutbism, an ideology that is believed to have influenced numerous violent extremist groups including al-Qaeda and ISIS.

Maududi was born in Aurangabad, British India (now Maharashtra, India), in 1903. As a child, he was homeschooled in subjects including the Quran and Hadith, as well as Arabic and Persian. He then studied at the prominent Deobandi school Dar ul-Ulum (also spelled Darul Aloom). At 17 years old, Maududi moved to Delhi and edited two prominent Deobani newspapers, Muslim and al-Jamiyat. He then became the editor and a key writer for the Muslim revivalist journal Tarjuman al-Qur’an.Nikhat Ekbal, Great Muslims of Undivided India (Delhi: Kalpaz Publications: 2009), 141; Haroon K. Ullah, Vying for Allah’s Vote, (Washington D.C.: Georgetown University Press: 2014), 78; Nadeem F. Paracha, “Abul Ala Maududi: An existentialist history,” Dawn (Karachi), January 1, 2015, http://www.dawn.com/news/1154419.

Maududi initially expressed admiration for Mahatma Gandhi’s Indian National Congress. In the late 1930s Maududi began to denigrate the Congress for its nationalism, which he saw as the evil responsible for the destruction of the Ottoman Empire. In order to combat such evil, Maududi contended, humanity must live under the sovereignty of God and his laws, or sharia (Islamic law).

“Islam is not merely a religious creed or compound…but a comprehensive system which envisages to annihilate all tyrannical and evil systems in the world,” Maududi declared to a crowd at Lahore’s town hall in 1939. In this speech, titled “Jihad in Islam,” Maududi preached that Islam was a program that sought to “alter the social order of the whole world” and “rebuild it in conformity with its own tenets and ideals.” Jihad, he reasoned, was the “revolutionary struggle and utmost exertion” that would bring about Islam’s revolutionary program.Abul A’la Maududi, “Jihad in Islam,” April 13, 1939, 5, http://muhammadanism.com/Terrorism/jihah_in_islam/jihad_in_islam.pdf; Nadeem F. Paracha, “Abul Ala Maududi: An existentialist history,” Dawn (Karachi), January 1, 2015, http://www.dawn.com/news/1154419.

Maududi insisted that sharia would eradicate what he referred to as modern jahiliyya, the state of ignorance afflicting the world’s Muslims. Such modern jahiliyya—in the form of socialism, secularism, or liberal democracy, for example—resembled the ancient variety under which Arabia was ruled prior to the divine message of the Prophet Mohammad. According to Maududi, the only way to defend against jahiliyya was to Islamize society, first by introducing Islamic regulation to politics and economy, and eventually the entire state. Muslim Brotherhood ideologue Sayyid Qutb went on to popularize these notions in the 1960s. Nadeem F. Paracha, “Abul Ala Maududi: An existentialist history,” Dawn (Karachi), January 1, 2015, http://www.dawn.com/news/1154419; Lawrence Wright, The Looming Tower (New York: Random House, 2011), 34-35; Dale C. Eikmeier, “Qutbsim: An Ideology of Islamic-Facism,” 2007, U.S. Army War College, 89, http://www.dtic.mil/dtic/tr/fulltext/u2/a485995.pdf.

By the early 1940s, Maududi had declared the All India Muslim League—a political party advocating for a separate Muslim-majority nation state on the subcontinent—to be a “party of pagans” and “nominal Muslims.” A Muslim-majority nation was insufficient in protecting Muslims and eradicating jahiliyya, according to Maududi.Nadeem F. Paracha, “Abul Ala Maududi: An existentialist history,” Dawn (Karachi), January 1, 2015, http://www.dawn.com/news/1154419.

In 1941 Maududi founded JeI, hoping to organize a group of pious and learned Muslims that would eventually take total political power. These Muslims, Maududi envisioned, would bring sharia to the Indian subcontinent and erect an Islamic state. Maududi was elected emir of JeI and served in that position until his health declined in 1972.Nikhat Ekbal, Great Muslims of Undivided India (Delhi: Kalpaz Publications: 2009), 141-142; Haroon K. Ullah, Vying for Allah’s Vote (Washington D.C.: Georgetown University Press: 2014), 78-80.

After the 1947 partition of the Indian subcontinent, Maududi moved to Pakistan and remodeled JeI as a political opposition party in that country. Pakistani authorities jailed Maududi between 1948 and 1950 for denouncing Pakistan’s operations in Kashmir. He was again imprisoned between 1953 and 1955.Haroon K. Ullah, Vying for Allah’s Vote (Washington D.C.: Georgetown University Press: 2014), 80; “Mawdūdī, Abūʾl-Aʿlā,” Britannica, accessed April 28, 2016, http://www.britannica.com/biography/Abul-Ala-Mawdudi.

In 1960, Maududi wrote in his book The Islamic Law & Constitution about his vision of an Islamic state where “no one can regard any field of his affairs as personal and private.” The totalitarianism of God’s sovereignty, Maududi wrote, would “[bear] a resemblance to the Fascist and Communist states.” Scholars have adopted the term Islamic-Fascism, or Islamofascism, to describe Maududi’s and others’ Islamist vision. Retired Colonel Dale C. Eikmeier wrote that Maududi “reminded Muslims that Islam [was] more than a religion; it [was] a complete social system that guide[d] and [controlled] every aspect of life including government.”Sayyid Abul A’La Maududi, The Islamic Law & Constitution (Lahore: Islamic Publications Ltd.: 1960), 146; Dale C. Eikmeier, “Qutbism: An Ideology of Islamic-Fascism,” Parameters: U.S. Army War College Quarterly, Spring 2007, 87, http://www.dtic.mil/dtic/tr/fulltext/u2/a485995.pdf.

In 1972, Maududi stepped down from JeI’s leadership due to poor health. In 1979, he moved to the United States and received medical care from his son, a physician. He died in Buffalo, New York, on September 22, 1979.Nikhat Ekbal, Great Muslims of Undivided India (Delhi: Kalpaz Publications: 2009), 142.

Sayyid Qutb was an Egyptian author and the lead theologian of the Muslim Brotherhood. His extremist theories have helped inform the tenets of an ideological movement often referred to by analysts as Qutbism. Born in Asyut Governorate, Egypt, in 1906, Qutb was executed by hanging in 1966. His writings—particularly Milestones and In the Shade of the Quran—are believed to have inspired the leaders of future Islamist terror groups, including al-Qaeda founders Osama bin Laden and Ayman al-Zawahiri.Dale C. Eikmeier, “Qutbism: An Ideology of Islamic-Fascism,” Parameters: U.S. Army War College Quarterly, Spring 2007, 89, http://www.dtic.mil/dtic/tr/fulltext/u2/a485995.pdf; Lawrence Wright, The Looming Tower, (New York: Random House, 2011), 36; Johannes J. G. Jansen, The Dual Nature of Islamic Fundamentalism, (New York: Cornell University Press, 1997), 50.

Qutb memorized the Quran by the age of 10 and completed his secondary education in Cairo. There he worked as a teacher, joined the ministry of education, and wrote novels and essays criticizing Egyptian society. Qutb traveled to the United States in 1948 to study in Washington, D.C., and Greeley, Colorado. Disgusted by what he perceived as the moral bankruptcy of Western society, Qutb joined the Muslim Brotherhood—founded by Hassan al-Banna in 1928—upon his return to Egypt in 1950. Through the Muslim Brotherhood, Qutb sought to eradicate Western influence from Egyptian society through the application of sharia (Islamic law).Lawrence Wright, The Looming Tower, (New York: Random House, 2011), 9, 18-20, 27-28; Robert Siegel, “Sayyid Qutb’s America,” NPR, May 6, 2003, http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=1253796; Johannes J. G. Jansen, The Dual Nature of Islamic Fundamentalism, (New York: Cornell University Press, 1997), 49; Paul Berman, “The Philosopher of Islamic Terror,” New York Times, March 23, 2003, http://www.nytimes.com/2003/03/23/magazine/the-philosopher-of-islamic-terror.html?pagewanted=all.

As a member of the Muslim Brotherhood, Qutb conspired with the Free Officers—a secular, nationalist, pan-Arab movement headed by Gamal Abdel Nasser—to overthrow the ruler of the British-tied Egyptian monarchy, King Farouk. Nasser reportedly promised Qutb a prominent position in government in the event of a successful coup. According to author Lawrence Wright, after the Free Officers took power in July 1952, Nasser offered Qutb the post of minister of education or general manager of Cairo radio, both of which Qutb turned down. Tension rose between the secular Free Officers and the theocratic Brotherhood, leading to Qutb’s brief, three-month incarceration in early 1953.Lawrence Wright, The Looming Tower, (New York: Random House, 2011), 31-33; Paul Berman, “The Philosopher of Islamic Terror,” New York Times, March 23, 2003, http://www.nytimes.com/2003/03/23/magazine/the-philosopher-of-islamic-terror.html?pagewanted=all; “1952: Egyptian army ousts prime minister,” BBC, accessed April 20, 2016, http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/september/7/newsid_3074000/3074069.stm.

Following his release, Qutb became the editor of the Brotherhood’s magazine, Al-Ikhwan al-Muslimin.Lawrence Wright, The Looming Tower, (New York: Random House, 2011), 32. In October 1954, a member of the Brotherhood’s underground military wing (the “secret apparatus”) attempted to assassinate Nasser, leading to a widespread crackdown on the group. Nasser executed the six suspected conspirators and sentenced Qutb to life in prison, charging him with membership in the Brotherhood’s secret apparatus.Paul Berman, “The Philosopher of Islamic Terror,” New York Times, March 23, 2003, http://www.nytimes.com/2003/03/23/magazine/the-philosopher-of-islamic-terror.html?pagewanted=all; Steven A. Cook, “Nearly 60 years ago, Egypt's generals tried to crush the Muslim Brotherhood. It didn’t go well,” Foreign Policy, July 17, 2013, http://foreignpolicy.com/2013/07/17/echoes-of-nasser/.

Qutb grew extremely ill during his first year in prison, prompting the court to reduce his life sentence to 15 years. He was moved to the prison hospital for the remainder of his incarceration, where he wrote his seminal works, including Milestones and In the Shade of the Quran. Qutb’s friends and family smuggled sections of Milestones from the prison. It was published in 1964 before being quickly banned.Lawrence Wright, The Looming Tower, (New York: Random House, 2011), 34-35.

In Milestones, Qutb re-popularized the Islamic concept of takfir, by which Muslims serving a secular ruler are rendered apostates and thus legitimate targets of execution. Qutb also wrote about jahiliyya, Arabia’s pagan existence prior to the divine message of the Prophet Mohammad. Qutb argued that the world was in a state of modern jahiliyya, and that Muslims were living as blindly and ignorantly as pagans in pre-Islamic Arabia. According to Qutb, this affliction could only be corrected by the implementation of sharia, brought about by offensive jihad. Takfir thus served as the legal loophole sanctioning Islamists to wage jihad against Muslim state officials. Analysts argue that the jihadists responsible for Egyptian President Anwar Sadat’s assassination in 1981 were attempting to put Qutb’s theories into practice.Youssef Aboul-Enein, “Learning from Adel Hammouda’s Work on Militant Islamist Movements,” Combatting Terrorism Center, September 15, 2008, https://www.ctc.usma.edu/posts/learning-from-adel-hammouda%E2%80%99s-work-on-militant-islamist-movements; Lawrence Wright, The Looming Tower, (New York: Random House, 2011), 34-35; Dale C. Eikmeier, “Qutbsim: An Ideology of Islamic-Facism,” U.S. Army War College 37, no. 1 (2007): 89, http://www.dtic.mil/dtic/tr/fulltext/u2/a485995.pdf.

Qutb was released from prison in 1964. He returned to his home in Helwan province and began plotting with the Brotherhood’s secret apparatus to undermine Nasser’s government. On August 9, 1965, approximately six months following his release, Egyptian police rearrested Qutb on the grounds of treason, an attempted coup d’état, and his alleged previous role in Nasser’s assassination plot. During Qutb’s nearly three month trial, prosecutors cited passages from Milestones as evidence against him, effectively popularizing the book, its concepts, and its author.Paul Berman, “The Philosopher of Islamic Terror,” New York Times, March 23, 2003, http://www.nytimes.com/2003/03/23/magazine/the-philosopher-of-islamic-terror.html?pagewanted=all; Johannes J. G. Jansen, The Dual Nature of Islamic Fundamentalism, (New York: Cornell University Press, 1997), 50; The Looming Tower, (New York: Random House, 2011), 36.

On August 21, 1966, Qutb was found guilty by an Egyptian court and sentenced to death. Upon hearing the verdict, he declared, “Thank God…. I performed jihad for fifteen years until I earned this martyrdom.” Qutb was executed by hanging in Cairo on August 29, 1966.Lawrence Wright, The Looming Tower, (New York: Random House, 2011), 36-37; Johannes J. G. Jansen, The Dual Nature of Islamic Fundamentalism, (New York: Cornell University Press, 1997), 49-50.

The concepts propagated by Qutb have served as the ideological backbone of countless Islamist terror groups. According to journalist Paul Berman, Qutb’s Milestones became a “classic manifesto of the terrorist wing of Islamic fundamentalism.” Following his death, many regarded Qutb as a martyr for the Islamist cause. Ayman al-Zawahiri, the current leader of al-Qaeda, later credited Qutb’s execution with igniting the jihadist movement.Dale C. Eikmeier, “Qutbsim: An Ideology of Islamic-Facism,” U.S. Army War College 37, no. 1 (2007): 89, http://www.dtic.mil/dtic/tr/fulltext/u2/a485995.pdf; Paul Berman, “The Philosopher of Islamic Terror,” New York Times, March 23, 2003, http://www.nytimes.com/2003/03/23/magazine/the-philosopher-of-islamic-terror.html?pagewanted=all.

Khalid Zerkani is a Moroccan recruiter, facilitator, and propagandist who is serving a 15-year-sentence in Ittre prison in Belgium on terrorism-related charges. Zerkani is known in Belgium as the “greatest jihadist recruiter that has ever been seen” in the country.Agence France-Presse, Associated Press, Reuters, “Derrière les attentats de Paris et Bruxelles, l'ombre du prédicateur Khalid Zerkani,” Le Figaro (Paris), April 11, 2016, http://www.lefigaro.fr/actualite-france/2016/04/11/01016-20160411ARTFIG00144-derriere-les-attentats-de-paris-et-bruxelles-l-ombre-du-predicateur-khalid-zerkani.php. Forty-two years old and portly, Zerkani has also been nicknamed “Papa Noel,” in part due to his appearance and in part due to his reputation for handing out money to young people as a recruiting tactic.Andrew Higgins and Kimiko de Freytas-Tamura, “A Brussels Mentor Who Taught ‘Gangster Islam’ to the Young and Angry,” New York Times, April 11, 2016, http://www.nytimes.com/2016/04/12/world/europe/a-brussels-mentor-who-taught-gangster-islam-to-the-young-and-angry.html. In Zerkani’s July 2015 sentencing, Belgian judges blamed him for propagating “extremist ideas among the naïve, fragile and agitated youth,” and referred to him as the “archetype of a seditious mentor.”Andrew Higgins and Kimiko de Freytas-Tamura, “A Brussels Mentor Who Taught ‘Gangster Islam’ to the Young and Angry,” New York Times, April 11, 2016, http://www.nytimes.com/2016/04/12/world/europe/a-brussels-mentor-who-taught-gangster-islam-to-the-young-and-angry.html.

Zerkani has been successful at luring recruits to extremism and terrorism, and has been tied to several notorious ISIS operatives who carried out the deadly November 2015 attacks in Paris and the March 2016 attacks in Brussels.Roy Mulholland, “Arrested new suspect ‘close associate of Father Christmas recruiter,’” Telegraph (London), March 22, 2016, http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/belgium/12204399/Brussels-terror-attacks-metro-airport-suspects-live.html. Zerkani has also served as a facilitator for foreign fighters to Syria, and has been linked to at least one thwarted terrorist attack in Europe. Zerkani is known to have tailored his recruitment toward criminals and Moroccan-Europeans in particular. Many of Zerkani’s recruits have passed through the notorious Brussels suburb of Molenbeek, where Zerkani himself was based.Andrew Higgins and Kimiko de Freytas-Tamura, “A Brussels Mentor Who Taught ‘Gangster Islam’ to the Young and Angry,” New York Times, April 11, 2016, http://www.nytimes.com/2016/04/12/world/europe/a-brussels-mentor-who-taught-gangster-islam-to-the-young-and-angry.html. Belgian news outlet La Dernière Heure (DH) has tallied at least 22 jihadist-linked individuals who are believed to have had links to Zerkani.“La galaxie Zerkani : 22 djihadistes jugés à Bruxelles sont dans la nature,” La Dernière Heure (Brussels), March 26, 2016,  http://www.dhnet.be/actu/faits/la-galaxie-zerkani-22-djihadistes-juges-a-bruxelles-sont-dans-la-nature-56f5aded35702a22d5bbf860.

Zerkani’s role in European extremist recruitment has come to the forefront since the March 2016 ISIS attacks in Brussels, when it emerged that at least two of the suspects were linked to Zerkani. It was discovered that Zerkani also had ties to terrorists who carried out the November 2015 ISIS attacks in Paris, and at least 18 foreign fighters who traveled to Syria. Among Zerkani’s suspected recruits are November 2015 Paris attacks suspects Abdelhamid Abaaoud and Salah Abdeslam, as well as March 2016 Brussels bomber Najim Laachraoui.Andrew Higgins and Kimiko de Freytas-Tamura, “A Brussels Mentor Who Taught ‘Gangster Islam’ to the Young and Angry,” New York Times, April 11, 2016, http://www.nytimes.com/2016/04/12/world/europe/a-brussels-mentor-who-taught-gangster-islam-to-the-young-and-angry.html. Brussels attacks suspects Mohamed Abrini has also been linked to Zerkani. According to security officials, Abrini’s younger brother Souleymane traveled to Syria with Zerkani’s help.Andrew Higgins and Kimiko de Freytas-Tamura, “A Brussels Mentor Who Taught ‘Gangster Islam’ to the Young and Angry,” New York Times, April 11, 2016, http://www.nytimes.com/2016/04/12/world/europe/a-brussels-mentor-who-taught-gangster-islam-to-the-young-and-angry.html.

In April 2016, Belgium launched a prison experiment to quarantine extremist inmates. The experiment separates four—as opposed to the originally planned 20—inmates from the general prison population.“Zerkani, mentor belge du djihad, inaugure l’aile de la prison d’Ittre sur fond de préavis de grève,” La Libre (Brussels), April 12, 2016, http://www.lalibre.be/actu/belgique/zerkani-mentor-belge-du-djihad-inaugure-l-aile-de-la-prison-d-ittre-sur-fond-de-preavis-de-greve-570c953935702a22d64d0ab1. Among the four inmates is Zerkani, who was moved in April from Forest prison to the quarantined area in Ittre prison under high security conditions.“Zerkani, mentor belge du djihad, inaugure l’aile de la prison d’Ittre sur fond de préavis de grève,” La Libre (Brussels), April 12, 2016, http://www.lalibre.be/actu/belgique/zerkani-mentor-belge-du-djihad-inaugure-l-aile-de-la-prison-d-ittre-sur-fond-de-preavis-de-greve-570c953935702a22d64d0ab1. According to reports, Belgian authorities worked to expedite the prison experiment specifically in order to prevent contact between Abrini and Zerkani.“Zerkani, mentor belge du djihad, inaugure l’aile de la prison d’Ittre sur fond de préavis de grève,” La Libre (Brussels), April 12, 2016, http://www.lalibre.be/actu/belgique/zerkani-mentor-belge-du-djihad-inaugure-l-aile-de-la-prison-d-ittre-sur-fond-de-preavis-de-greve-570c953935702a22d64d0ab1.

In addition to suspects in the Paris and Brussels attacks, Zerkani has been linked to high-level al-Qaeda operatives in Syria like Syrian Fatima Aberkan, who was tried with her family alongside Zerkani in 2015. Some have posited that it was Zerkani’s connections to Aberkan that first ingratiated him with ISIS’s leadership, enabling Zerkani to serve as a proxy for the terrorist group’s activities in Europe.Andrew Higgins and Kimiko de Freytas-Tamura, “A Brussels Mentor Who Taught ‘Gangster Islam’ to the Young and Angry,” New York Times, April 11, 2016, http://www.nytimes.com/2016/04/12/world/europe/a-brussels-mentor-who-taught-gangster-islam-to-the-young-and-angry.html.

Zerkani’s links to terrorist networks run much deeper than ties to the Brussels or Paris attackers, and the full extent of his influence has not yet been determined. For example, Zerkani was revealed to have links to Reda Kriket, a suspected extremist arrested in France in March 2016 in connection to a thwarted attack. Kriket had previously lived with Zerkani in Molenbeek.Andrew Higgins and Kimiko de Freytas-Tamura, “A Brussels Mentor Who Taught ‘Gangster Islam’ to the Young and Angry,” New York Times, April 11, 2016, http://www.nytimes.com/2016/04/12/world/europe/a-brussels-mentor-who-taught-gangster-islam-to-the-young-and-angry.html.

Zerkani appears to have specialized in recruiting criminals to jihadism, and is himself believed to have supported himself through criminal acts before acting as a recruiter and propagandist for ISIS.Andrew Higgins and Kimiko de Freytas-Tamura, “A Brussels Mentor Who Taught ‘Gangster Islam’ to the Young and Angry,” New York Times, April 11, 2016, http://www.nytimes.com/2016/04/12/world/europe/a-brussels-mentor-who-taught-gangster-islam-to-the-young-and-angry.html. Indeed, many of the suspected extremists in Zerkani’s network have criminal records, including March 2016 Brussels suspect Ibrahim el-Bakraoui and November 2015 suspects Salah Abdeslam and Abdelhamid Abaaoud.Andrew Higgins and Kimiko de Freytas-Tamura, “A Brussels Mentor Who Taught ‘Gangster Islam’ to the Young and Angry,” New York Times, April 11, 2016, http://www.nytimes.com/2016/04/12/world/europe/a-brussels-mentor-who-taught-gangster-islam-to-the-young-and-angry.html.

“Abu Ramzi Ashami” is an ISIS propagandist operating on Twitter. He has remained active on the social media platform despite incurring numerous suspensions since at least 2014.“Latest Articles: IS Supporter Calls for Attacks on British Sheikhs Who Support War on Terror,” Site Intelligence Group, October 14, 2014, https://news.siteintelgroup.com/Jihadist-News/is-supporter-calls-for-attacks-on-british-sheikhs-who-support-war-on-terror.html.

Ashami applauded the March 22, 2016, ISIS attacks in Brussels, Belgium, and warned of more carnage. He tweeted, “You bomb us in the East, we bomb you in the West. An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth….” Ashami also spread ISIS’s claim of responsibility via Twitter.Abu Ramzi Ashami, Twitter post, March 22, 2016.

Directly following the bombings, Ashami issued a thinly veiled threat to Germany, and warned of future attacks:

Ashami has tweeted that he was radicalized by reading Islamic works translated by Anwar al-Awlaki,Abu Ramzi Ashami, Twitter post, July 15, 2015. an American propagandist for al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) who was killed in a U.S.-led airstrike in 2011.Peter Bergen, “The American who inspires terror from Paris to the U.S.,” CNN, January 12, 2015, http://www.cnn.com/2015/01/11/opinion/bergen-american-terrorism-leader-paris-attack/.

Ashami's anti-American rhetoric has included attacking the “propaganda filth” spread by the “devils” of the Pentagon:Abu Ramzi Ashami, Twitter post, December 8, 2015, 8:33 a.m.

In October 2014, Ashami used a now suspended Twitter handle to urge British jihadists to target “sheikhs” helping law enforcement combat extremism in Britain. In October 2014, Ashami wrote: “[I advise] brothers in the UK, to prioritize the killing of the ‘sheikhs’ that work with the Antiterror police.”“Latest Articles: IS Supporter Calls for Attacks on British Sheikhs Who Support War on Terror,” Site Intelligence Group, October 14, 2014, https://news.siteintelgroup.com/Jihadist-News/is-supporter-calls-for-attacks-on-british-sheikhs-who-support-war-on-terror.html.

Ashami also uses Twitter to support fellow propagandists by retweeting their statements and providing links to their social media profiles, activities, and writings. On September 20, 2015, Ashami retweeted posts from Abu Sulaymaan, who asked followers to keep the murderer of filmmaker Theo Van Gogh in their prayers.Abu Ramzi Ashami, Twitter post, September 20, 2015. Van Gogh was killed in 2004 for his documentary, “Fitna,” which depicted Quranic verses painted on the body of a naked woman.Rachel Donadio, “Provocateur’s Death Haunts the Dutch,” New York Times, October 30, 2014, http://www.nytimes.com/2014/11/02/arts/provocateurs-death-haunts-the-dutch-.html.

Ashami has been linked to ISIS propagandist Muhammed Abdullahi Hassan, better known as Mujahid Miski. Miski is believed to have left his home in Minneapolis, Minnesota in 2008 to join al-Shabab. He later joined ISIS.Esme Murphy, “Former Minnesota Man Played Key Role In Inciting Texas Terror Attack,” WCCO-TV, May 4, 2015, http://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2015/05/04/former-minnesota-man-played-key-role-in-inciting-texas-terror-attack/.

Miski reportedly surrendered to the Somali government in December 2015. Ashami defended Miski on Twitter, tweeting, “Our brother #MujahidMiski got caught by the apostate government of Somalia near Barawe. HE DID NOT HAND HIMSELF OVER TO THEM.”Mukhtar Ibrahim, “Minnesota jihadist offered advice, support online,” Minnesota Public Radio, December 10, 2015, http://www.mprnews.org/story/2015/12/10/miski. Ashami further encouraged al-Shabab members to join ISIS and pledge bayah, or allegiance, to the caliphate.Abu Ramzi Ashami Twitter, October 25, 2015.

Ashami also incites violence against governments in the region. Ashami has labeled both the Egyptian army and Syria’s Bashar al-Assad as apostates, justifying jihad against both Arab governments.Abu Ramzi Ashami Twitter, July 15, 2015; Abu Ramzi Ashami Twitter, October 25, 2015. In July 2015, Ashami tweeted posts in support of what he called ISIS’s “Ramadan Operations” in Egypt, led by the terror group’s Wilyat Sinai, or Sinai province.“Jihadist Social Media Activity-Twitter (June 30-July 15),” International Institute for Counter-Terrorism, accessed March 23, 2016, https://www.ict.org.il/Article/1532/Jihadist-Social-Media-Activity-Twitter.

Ashami has celebrated lone wolf attacks such as the Chattanooga, Tennessee, shooting and killing of five marines on July 16, 2015, at a marine base. The shooter, Mohammad Youssuf Abdulazeez, was also killed.“Chattanooga Shooting,” CBS News, accessed March 23, 2016. http://www.cbsnews.com/pictures/shooting-at-military-recruiting-center-chattanooga-tennessee/. Ashami tweeted, “May Allah accept the shahadah of our fervent brother Muhammad Yusuf Abdulazeez. The #Chattanooga Mujahid.”Abu Ramzi Ashami, Twitter post, accessed March 23, 2016, https://storify.com/CEP/isis-supporters-react-to-chattanoogashooting.

Ashami’s Twitter profile includes a mention of the pro-ISIS website ansarukhilafah.wordpress.com. The website provides detailed articles on ISIS’s fighting in the Middle East, links to ISIS’s publication Dabiq, and links to each ISIS territory the militant group references as a wilayat (province).Ansarukhilafah website, accessed March 23, 2016, https://ansarukhilafah.wordpress.com/.